Senator urges student involvement in budget process

Sen. Toby Stavisky, D-Queens, is asking college students to get involved in this year’s budget process by sharing their stories, ideas and concerns. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has proposed cuts to the State University of New York, City University of New York and private institutions. State aid to SUNY would be reduced by $138 million—9 percent—and state aid per student at SUNY’s 30 community colleges would drop by $226, to $2,034. Cuomo is recommending ending the state’s $135 million subsidy to SUNY’s three hospitals—in Brooklyn, Syracuse and Stony Brook, Suffolk County.

Cuomo said SUNY tuition would not be increased next year.

“Even though the governor has not increased tuition, it’s going to have an effect on each and every one of you,” Stavisky says in the video.

Stavisky, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Higher Education Committee, said she wants to work together with students to contact the governor’s office. “You should contact your legislators, but I will be your voice,” she says.